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E. RICHTER.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYB, 1919.

1,319,903. Patented Oct. 28,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W1 TNESS: I N VEN TOR.

I ATTORNEY.

E. RICHTER.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MYAYB, 9L9.

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ERA/EST RICH TE)? ATTORNEY.

E. RICHTER.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1919.

1,319,903. Patented 065.28, 1919.

. I 3 SHEETS SHEET 3.

W1 TNESS: I N VEN Tol.

4 71M ERNEST fiK/{TER ATTORNEY.

ERNEST RICHTER, 0F ANCHORAGE, TERRITORY OF ALASKA.

MAIL-HANDLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed May 8, 1919. Serial No. 295,552.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST RICHTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anchorage, Territory of Alaska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Handling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

The invention relates to mechanism for delivering mail to and from moving trains and has for its object to devise a mechanism which is automatic in operation, which embodies a. small number of parts and which is free from the dangers incident to apparatu of this character.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanyin drawings,

Figure 1 is a side view of meo anism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the parts illustrated in Fig. l as seen from the inner side of the car, the latter being in section.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the relative position of the parts when the opening in the side of the car has been uncovered.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 88 of Fig. 6, the trips being in full lines.

Fig. 9 is a detail view showin more clearly the delivery means mounte upon the car.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates 'part of a car such as commonly employed in the mail service. An opening 2 is formed in a slde of the car to facilitate the delivery of the mail from the car and the receiving of mail from stations along the line of railway. In the present instance the opening is closed by delivery 12. The trips 12 are pivoted at 13 sliding doors 8. Beneath the bottom of the car is located a shaft 4 which is moiuited in brackets 5 or suitable bearings. The shaft 4 is disposed transversely and is provided at its outer end with a disk 6 which carries a pin 7. Levers 8 are mounted in openings formed in the bottom of the car and links 9 connect the upper ends of the levers with the respective doors 3. Other links 10 connect the lower ends of the levers 8 with the disk 6. The arrangement of the parts is such that rotation of the shaft 4 in either direction effects an opening or a closing of the doors 3. The shaft 4 may be rotated by any suitable means. For this purpose a stop is located at one side of the track within the path of the pin 7 and cause rotation of the shaft 4.

The stop 11 consists of a housing, the upper portion of which is made rounding or convex, a longitudinal slot being formed therein for the projection of a pair of trips and portions are arranged to extend across the path of an arm 14 of a lever or arm 15 which normally extends in an upright position at a slight inclination to the vertical, as indicated most clearly in Figs. 4 and 7. A receiver 16 is located at the upper end of the arm or lever 15 and may be of any construction to support a sack or package, as indicated at 17 by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. The receiver 16 consists of two plates or members having a right angle arrangement, thereby enabling instant delivery of the sack or package.

Within the car and at one side of the door opening is located a shaft 18 which is mounted in suitable bearings, said shaft being disposed longitudinally and in horizontal position. A portion of the shaft 18 is provided with a quick thread or spiral 19 which coacts with a pin 20 carried by one of the doors 3 so as to effect rotary movement of the shaft 18 as the door is slid into open or closed position. The shaft 18 has its intermediate portion flattened and partially twisted to form the spiral or quick thread 19. Anarm'21 is provided at the end of the shaft 18 opposite the door opening 2 and is supplied with a receiver 22 similar in construction to the receiver 16 to receive a sack or package, as indicated at 23 by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The parts being constructed and arranged substantially as herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings the to engage the latter matter to be delivered from a moving train is placed upon the receiver 22, as indicated at 23 in Fig. &. The matter to be delivered from a station or other point along the line of railway to the moving train is placed upon the receiver 16, as indicated at 17 in Fig. 4. As the train approaches the station or other point provided with the stop 11 the pin 7 will engage the stop and impart rotary movement to the shaft e, thereby sliding the doors 3 into open position as the door containing the pin 20 reaches a position to cause the pin 20 to cooperate with the quick tread. or spiral 19, the shaft 18 is turned in a direction to move the arm 21 toward the door opening 2 and this movement is such as to throw the sack or package 23 through the door opening. In the continued movement of the train the pin 7 rides upon the upper convex face of the stop 11 and comes in con tact with the near trip 12 which is operated to exert a downward movement on the arm 1d of the lever or arm 15, whereby said arm is moved at its upper end toward the car in such a manner as to throw the sack or package 17 through the door opening 2 into the car. The delivery to and from the car is automatic and the mechanism may be reset by hand or in any preferred way. Closing of the doors 3 resets the deliverer 22 since the pin 20 coacts with the spiral or quick thread 19 to return the part 22 to normal position for receiving the next matter to be delivered.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred, or approved form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera', as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Means for delivering matter from a train including a sliding member, a shaft having a spiral portion, a deliverer adapted to be actuated by said shaft and an element projecting from the sliding member and adapted to coact with the spiral portion of the shaft to impart a rotary movement thereto for operating the said deliverer.

2. In combination, a car provided with an opening in a side thereof, a sliding door for closing said door opening, apin projecting from the sliding door, a shaft having a spiral portion adapted to cooperate with the said pin to effect a turning of the shaft when the door is slid into open or closed position, a deliverer adapted to be operated by said shaft, and means for imparting a sliding movement to the door whereby automatic delivery through the door opening is effected.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST RICHTER. Witnesses M. J. Connor, WILLIAM H. ROGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

